Elsewhere, as the carriages rolled away, she caught sight of Granger and Weasly apparently in conference on some matter after the other Weaselies had left for the holidays. She noted it, but forebear to intrude upon the conversation.
She walked back, halfway across the courtyard, taking note of the almost empty nature of the castle now that the majority of the students had left and then she stopped.
She had a stack of homework to do, but something caught her eye that distracted her from that thought. A large, familiar figure at the edge of the grounds hulking for a certain cottage in a state that did not constitute a sound frame of mind.
****
So, when Harry led his friends down to Hagrid's cottage it was not merely the sound of Hagrid's sobbing that they heard, but the (now) familiar sound of Kodachi's shrill voice trying to comfort the huge man.
"Hagrid what is it?" Hermione demanded as they were let in, after nearly being crushed under the weight of a huge groundskeeper.
The official letter proclaiming the Ministry's conviction to follow through with Lucious Malfoy's complaint came to light shortly after.
"Even when that child's injury proves fake," Kodachi started, glancing briefly towards Ron as she heard him snickering upon hearing the eleven year old refer to Malfoy as a child. "As if there is any harm in such a magnificient beast."
She gestured, causing Harry, Ron and Hermione to whip their heads about, catching sight of the object of the conversation. The hippogriff was curled up in a corner of the hut and chomping on something that oozed blood while Kodachi looked on with the sort of expression most girls saved for playing kittens.
"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas!"
"You'll have to put up a strong defense, Hagrid," Hermione declared, bravely sitting down and laying a hand on the creature's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."
"Won' make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucious Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak -"
Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forwards, his face in his arms.
"I'm afraid he is correct," Kodachi said with ill humor. "Enough money and influence can procure virtually anything one can desire. Especially if one has cause to fear you."
"What about Dumbledor, Hagrid?" Harry asked, glancing at Kodachi and her pessimistic outlook.
"He's done more than enough for me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them Demeanors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around -"
This time it was Kodachi who noticed the reactions among the three friends at that name.
"Listen Hagrid," he said. "You can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defense. You can call us as witnesses -"
****
Kodachi left the cottage with them in a sullen, pouty attitude that remained quiet until well past the point where Hagrid's hut was left well behind.
"You shouldn't try to encourage him in this," Kodachi said. "It won't do any good."
"You're just as bad as he is," Harry insisted. "I'm sure Hermione will find some sort of law or precedent or..."
"It doesn't matter," Kodachi said, practically screeching. "You have three options, get out of the way, bend or break." Then before turning away and spewing a stream of Japanese as she stamped towards the castle.
"And which are you?" Harry asked, freezing her in her tracks.
She stayed silent for a long second.
"I..." she started. And then collected herself. "Fine, I shall assist you in Hagrid's interest, but it is useless. I warn you."
"We didn't ask for your..." Ron started as Kodachi snorted disdainfully and walked away. "She's mental, she is."
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(Posted Fri, 11 Apr 2003 21:00)
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